Cashew Applesâ€ the Juicy Counterpart

Whatâ€™son myplate? Cashew fruit. Also known as cashew apple, this pulpy produce is often sidelined when its nutty brother â€“ cashew nut â€“ comes into play, so much so that 98% of cashew fruit produced each year goes to waste. However, this sweet-tasting fruit is quite a culinary delight â€“ and healthy too.

Superpower : Cashew fruit therapeutic properties have been long used in traditional medicine systems. Amazonians, for instance, used the juice from the fruit to treat diarrohea. Cashew fruitâ€™s effect on the gut has also been studied in modern era. In fact, a research paper published in the July 2017 edition of the journal The Pharma Innovation stated that cashew apples have strong anti-bacterial properties that can aid with curing stomach ulcers and gastritis. It also suggests that the fruit is an extremely potent source of vitamin C â€“ enough to reverse a deficiency of the vitamin in the body; and anacardic acid which is being studied for its anti-carcinogenic properties.

Wheretobuy : Cashew fruits for all its amazing health benefits have a very short shelf life, which keeps it from making an appearance in many grocery stores. That said, you might be able to find fresh cashew fruits and its byproducts like cashew pickles, cashew apple juice, and dried cashew fruit in cashew-producing states in the Konkan belt and south India.

Eatthis : The fresh fruit is usually found in Goa and coastal Karnataka, where it grows on short trees. You can now buy cashew apples online, in cashew season, which is April to May. Cashew juice or concentrateâ€”both of which can be drunk as is or mixed with other fruit juices, is also available. Itâ€™s best eaten raw, chopped and sprinkled with salt.